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BREAKING: White House: the US sanctions top Turkish officials over the detention of American pastor. Video

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The Department of Treasury will sanction Turkish ministers who played a role in the arrest and detainment of American citizen pastor Andrew Brunson.

US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson escorted by Turkish plain clothes police officers arrives at his house on July 25, 2018 in Izmir.

The Department of the Treasury will sanction Turkey’s ministers of Justice and Interior for the arrest and detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

“We’ve seen no evidence that pastor Brunson has done anything wrong and we believe he is a victim of unfair and unjust attention by the government of Turkey,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday.

“As a result, any property or interest in property of both ministers within U.S. jurisdiction is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them,” Sanders added referring further questions to the Treasury Department.

In October 2016, Turkey detained American pastor Andrew Brunson on accusations of spying and attempting to overthrow the government. Brunson has denied all charges.

Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey have intensified over Brunson’s trial and his continued detainment. Ankara recently transferred the American citizen to house arrest. Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to slap “large sanctions” on Turkey unless it freed Brunson.

“The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their long time detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson, a great Christian, family man and wonderful human being,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “He is suffering greatly. This innocent man of faith should be released immediately!”

Breaking News: Law enforcement: Man shot himself outside White House

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(CNN)A man shot himself in front of the White House on Saturday, a law enforcement source told CNN.

“Secret Service personnel are responding to reports of a person who allegedly suffered a self-inflicted gun shot wound along the north fence line of @WhiteHouse,” the Secret Service tweeted.
President Donald Trump is at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
“We are aware of the incident,” deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said. “The President has been briefed. I refer you to the Secret Service for any more information.”
The Secret Service tweeted an update on the situation moments later: “No other reported injuries related to the incident at @WhiteHouse.”
Secret Service spokeswoman Cathy Milhoan said the incident occurred on the north fence line, the victim suffered a single gunshot wound and Secret Service personnel did not fire any shots. She would not comment on the status of the victim.
The agency also tweeted that pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the White House has been affected by the incident.

Breaking News: Mueller Seeks White House Documents on Flynn, looking into secretly paid by Turkish government

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An inquiry is examining whether Michael T. Flynn was secretly paid by the Turkish government.
Sam Hodgson for The New York Times

By MATTHEW ROSENBERG, MATT APUZZO and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT.

(Nytimes) Investigators working for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, recently asked the White House for documents related to former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn, and have questioned witnesses about whether he was secretly paid by the Turkish government during the final months of the presidential campaign, according to people close to the investigation.

Though not a formal subpoena, the document request is the first known instance of Mr. Mueller’s team asking the White House to hand over records.

In interviews with potential witnesses in recent weeks, prosecutors and F.B.I. agents have spent hours poring over the details of Mr. Flynn’s business dealings with a Turkish-American businessman who worked last year with Mr. Flynn and his consulting business, the Flynn Intel Group.

The company was paid $530,000 to run a campaign to discredit an opponent of the Turkish government who has been accused of orchestrating last year’s failed coup in the country.

Investigators want to know if the Turkish government was behind those payments — and if the Flynn Intel Group made kickbacks to the businessman, Ekim Alptekin, for helping conceal the source of the money.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/04/us/politics/robert-mueller-michael-flynn-turkey.html?emc=edit_na_20170804&nl=breaking-news&nlid=49769097&ref=headline

Story behind Belichick wearing Armenian pin at White House “Armenian Genocide”

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byline-curran-cdc_0

 

When Bill Belichick shook hands with President Obama in April, Belichick did so with an Armenian flag pin on his lapel.

We explained at the time that it was in remembrance of the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government. The 100th anniversary of the slaughter’s beginning was being recognized that week. Belichick wore the pin at the request of Berj Najarian, the Patriots director of football/head coach administration. Najarian is as close as anyone to Belichick, professionally and personally since they came together to the Patriots from New York in 2000.

Najarian, in an appearance at St. James Men’s Club in Watertown, Mass., detailed how Belichick came to be wearing the pin that day. Najarian also related his brief but bold comments to Obama about the president’s failure to uphold a campaign promise and label the slaughter as genocide. Najarian’s grandfather, Papken Kechichian, was a survivor of the Armenian genocide.

“It was no-brainer,” Najarian, 45, said of his decision to ask Belichick to put on the pin. “He knew the pin, and recognized it. I’ve told him about my grandfather, and my history here in Watertown, Camp Hayastan and all.”

When Najarian met Obama in the receiving line, Najarian says he expressed hope that Obama would recognize the genocide when making an official statement recognizing the anniversary. The Turkish government has pressured Obama to not use the word in describing the massacre.

“That’s a tough one,” Obama responded, before going on to shake the hand of the next person in the receiving line. “I am trying to prevent future genocides.”

Najarian noted Pope Francis used the word earlier that week.

“Well, the Pope doesn’t have a government to run like I do,” Obama answered.

It took courage on Najarian’s part to speak up on a politically-charged issue at a ceremonial event. It indicates how important it is to Armenians that what happened a century ago is viewed with the proper perspective.

Tom E. Curran serves as Comcast SportsNet’s NFL Insider. Read more from Tom here, or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: csnne.com